


Multiple

by silentdescant



Series: Promptember [19]
Category: Pentatonix, Superfruit
Genre: High School, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memories, Multi-Era, SePTXCC17, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-31 22:56:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12142935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silentdescant/pseuds/silentdescant
Summary: Scott remembers different eras of Mitch.





	Multiple

Age sixteen—Mitch is fifteen—and they’re on the playground, sitting on swings and toeing the ground to avoid each other’s gazes. Mitch has just confessed a lot of heavy secrets, and Scott’s heart is bursting with love for him, love that, as a teenager, he doesn’t know how to express. Scott watches this scene back in his memory and thinks he should’ve hugged Mitch then, should’ve kisses his cheeks, his hair. Mitch looks small in a baggy hoodie and jeans that are too big for him, hunched into himself and trying to hide, and Scott thinks he’s beautiful. He thought so at sixteen and he thinks so now as he remembers exactly what Mitch wore and how small he tried to make himself, sitting in that swing. Scott didn’t provide the comfort, then, that Mitch deserved, but whatever he did do for Mitch, whatever words of acceptance he said that day, at least they did the job.

Fast-forward. They’re grown up, now, but Mitch looks just as young, just as small. His dark hair is stringy and sweaty and probably unwashed, and he still looks beautiful to Scott’s eyes. Scott remembers this day clearly too. Mitch’s eyes are red from crying and he keeps rubbing his nose, but he’s self-conscious about it, dipping his head each time like it will hide his hand coming up each time he sniffles. The Scott of this era is more confident, more knowledgeable about Mitch’s needs, and he gathers Mitch into a hug. Scott of this era kisses him too, and it’s not romantic, but it is more than platonic, and Scott of present day wishes it hadn’t happened. It’s not right. Looking back on this day, it feels like he’s taking advantage of Mitch’s emotional vulnerability and giving in to his own desires rather than putting Mitch’s needs first.

Fast-forward. Mitch is angry in this memory, blond and pale and pinching his lips and wrinkling his nose, and the Scott of this day is being an idiot, intentionally misunderstanding everything Mitch says, deliberately making him even angrier. Scott can’t remember what he was feeling this day, what drove him to be such an annoying shit. Watching this memory play out is painful; Scott hates his past self for making such stupid choices. He hates himself for hurting Mitch, because now, he recognizes the hurt in his dark eyes that Mitch hides with anger. Scott hates this day. He wants to move on.

Fast-forward. Scott in the memory is rubbing Mitch’s scalp, the bristly, fuzzy hair that’s starting to grow back. Mitch keeps hiding it under beanies and hats, but when they’re alone, and he takes them off, he lets Scott touch him. Scott remembers the exhaustion in Mitch’s expression sometimes, and he remembers Mitch coming to him for comfort, for hugs and gentle kisses, for help sleeping and for quiet talks. He doesn’t remember this moment in particular. There are too many of these moments to remember each one. This is what Scott feels when he thinks about Mitch.

Fast-forward. Mitch is brunet again, but his hair is fluffy and soft and healthy, and Scott likes to touch him, likes to pet him, like he did the whole time Mitch’s hair was growing back. They’re sharing a McFlurry because Mitch didn’t want one but he secretly did, and Scott doesn’t mind because he likes popping the plastic spoon into Mitch’s waiting mouth. Scott remembers this night, sort of, but there are many nights like this. Drunk and sober, early and late. This is how he wants Mitch to be in his mind, always. Happy and calm and only a little bit neurotic, cracking jokes and letting Scott into his personal space without a second thought. This is how they belong together.

 

 _fin_.


End file.
